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25 Feb 2005 : Column 902W—continued
Eye Tests
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost of implementing a policy of free eye tests for all NHS patients. [217492]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Free sight tests on the national health service are already available to priority groups: children under 16, those aged 16–18 in full-time education, people on low incomes who might otherwise be deterred by the cost of a private sight test and defined categories of people at particular risk of developing eye disease. In April 1999 we extended free sight tests to all people aged 60 and over.
Based on the most recent data available, we estimate that the cost of extending free sight tests to all those who currently pay privately for sight tests would be an additional £89 million based on the 2004–05 rate of £17.82 per test.
We believe that the current range of entitlements to free sight tests and optical vouchers is sufficient to meet the needs of young people, people on low incomes and individuals at particular risk of developing eye disease. A further extension would not be the best use of the funds available for the development of the NHS.
Ministerial Engagements
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the Ministerial engagements (a) out of London and (b) in London that he has cancelled since 1 January 2004. [209217]
Dr. Ladyman: Since 1 January 2004, Departmental Ministers have cancelled 31 engagements in London and 19 engagements outside London, which are listed as follows. All engagements are subject to ministerial and parliamentary business. When engagements have had to be cancelled, wherever possible we try to re-instate them at a later date.
Multiple Myeloma
Mr. Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what treatments are available on the NHS for the treatment of multiple myeloma. [215825]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Treatments available on the national health service for multiple myeloma are listed in the British National Formulary, which can be found at www.bnf.org.
When a patient is being treated by a hospital, the consultant can arrange for the supply of any drug or other substance, even one not normally available on NHS prescription, provided the primary care trust or NHS trust agree to supply it at the NHS's expense.
Orthodontists
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many orthodontists are employed at (a) Chorley hospital and (b) Preston hospital. [215510]
25 Feb 2005 : Column 904W
Miss Melanie Johnson: As at 30 September 2003, there were no orthodontists employed by the Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust. Within the Cumbria and Lancashire strategic health authority area there were 11 orthodontists in post. This information is shown in the following table.
(26) denotes zero
Source:
Department of Health medical and dental workforce census
Prosecutions (Non-entitlement to Treatment)
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals have been (a) arrested and (b) prosecuted for obtaining free treatment on the NHS to which they are not entitled in each year between 1997 and 2004, broken down by the reason for non-entitlement to treatment. [217436]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 24 February 2005]: Between September 1999 and 2004, a total of 29 persons have been arrested for obtaining or seeking to obtain free national health service treatment to which they were not entitled. These arrests occurring in the following years;
| Number of arrests | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 9 |
| 2004 | 12 |
During the same period 35 persons 1 were successfully prosecuted for obtaining or seeking to obtain free NHS treatment to which they were not entitled.
Prosecutions were broken down to the following reasons to non-entitlement in each year between 1999 and 2004.
1 The disparity between persons arrested (29) and persons prosecuted (35) is caused by the fact that an arrest is not always required to progress to criminal prosecution.
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use of false identity | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 8 | 7 |
| False claim of exemption | — | — | — | — | 4 | 3 |
| Use of stolen/altered prescription | — | — | 2 | — | 4 | 3 |
Waist Size
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average (a) weight and (b) waist size of (i) men and (ii) women was in each of the last 10 years. [214788]
Miss Melanie Johnson
[holding answer 7 February 2005]: Figures for the average weight and waist circumference for men and women in England in each of the last 10 years are shown in the table.
25 Feb 2005 : Column 905W
(27) Kilograms
(28) Centimetres
Source:
Health Survey for England
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